Juno -- A Review

Watched Juno last night on DVD. I knew the basic plot line -- it's about a teen who gets pregnant and decides to carry the baby to term and then give it up for adoption. From the scuttlebutt I'd heard, some saw it is an anti-abortion flick. But like many films, it is what you make of it.

Directed by Jason Reitman, Juno is a quirky comedy, akin to Little Miss Sunshine, that explores the realities of teen life. Diablo Cody won an Oscar for Best Original Screenplay -- deservedly so!

Juno is a bit of a nerd. She's not that pretty, but she's perky. She's street smart, even if not a straight A student. What she is is quick witted. Ellen Page is wonderful as Juno.

Juno (named after Zeus' wife) gets pregnant after having sex with long distance runner Paulie Bleeker (Michael Cera). Bleeker is book smart, but not street smart. I think he could have other girls, but Juno has his attention. She contemplates an abortion, but runs into a school friend outside the clinic protesting -- that kind of spoils the idea and she decides to keep it.

There is the usual difficulty of revealing the truth to the parents and the what next. Juno finds a couple in the Penny Saver, who prove to be the perfect couple (Jason Bateman and Jennifer Garner). Garner's Vanessa is obsessive about being a mother, Bateman's character not so much. But in Juno's eyes, these Yuppies are the perfect family to care for her baby.

I won't say much about the closing -- don't want to spoil it. But this is really a funny film. As a parent of a teenager, it's always interesting to peer into the minds of this generation! As for the moral to the story -- well I think its that kids are resilient and have a better grip on reality than we give them credit for, even when they make big mistakes!